Unimaginable Hope
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Connect:
Share how you have seen God in the Highs and Lows of your week.
Prayer:
Pray that God would lead your discussion time and bring fresh insight, conviction, and hope through your time together.
Review:
We are moving into a series on 1 Thessalonians where Paul’s basic purpose was to encourage followers of Jesus to live ‘unstoppable’ lives in anticipation of the Lord’s return. Last week we looked at how faith works itself out in love, and how we can honor God even with our sexuality. This week, we look at the Source and reason for our Hope!
The Grand Tour of the message: Thinking back on what you heard this Sunday…
o What did you learn about God?
o What did you learn about people?
o What did you learn about yourself?
o What do you want to commit to putting into practice?
Reflect:
Experience:
Share about a time where one of you was warned about the consequences of taking (or not taking) and action… and they chose wrong, so they faced the consequences. Compare how that choice felt before and after things had unfolded.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
How does the fact that Jesus is coming back again at some point in the future help us in the present moment of trial/ persecution?
Read John 14:1-3. What does it mean that Jesus is “going to prepare a place for [us]?” How does that help us with hope in the moment of trial/ persecution?
Read 4:13-16
What is the difference between the “Second coming of Christ” and the “Rapture of the Church”? Which one is this passage talking about?
There are 3 perspectives on the rapture: before, during or after the “Great Tribulation”. The point is not to predict the Lord’s coming but to be READY! What does it look like when we are living in such a way that we are ready for the Lord’s coming?
Paul believed Jesus could very possibly come in his lifetime! What difference does that make in terms of the sense of urgency, attentiveness, etc in our Christian walk? Why does it make that difference?
Read 4:16-18
“…and so, we will be with the Lord forever.” Talk about why that “some time in the future” hope gives us strength and encouragement NOW.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. This transformation of our bodies both honors and redeems the view of our physical body! Discuss how this ‘redemption of our physical bodies”, that are to be transformed to be like Jesus, can give us hope. (Hint: There’s no dieting in heaven! ;)
Respond:
The final verse here says, “Encourage each other with these words”. Go ahead and do that today as you close in prayer! Thank God for this promise for the future, our being with Him forever, the reuniting of His church… forever!
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